Epic Tracks doesn't Made Great Records

In progressive rock, there's a belief that a song over 12 minutes long is impressive, but when a song takes up an entire side of an album, it becomes extraordinary. Classic albums like Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull, Foxtrot by Genesis, and Close to the Edge and Tales from Topographic Oceans by Yes feature songs that occupy a whole side, which has helped make these records legendary.

Infringement, a progressive rock band from Oslo, was formed in 2015 by Stig André Clason (guitar), Kristoffer Utby (drums), and Hans Andreas Brandal (vocals). Keyboardist Bård Thorstensen joined later for live shows, then became a full member, and the band's lineup was completed by bassist Emil Olsen.

Infringement's music mixes neo-progressive and symphonic rock, with an eclectic style that covers a wide range of influences. Their debut album brings funky, groovy rhythms as well as echoes of '70s prog rock. The band uses complex time signatures, symphonic arrangements, and surprising twists to create a sound that is both familiar and fresh.

However, this album shows that creating a conceptual piece with two long tracks doesn't always guarantee a masterpiece. It can be hard to keep such long songs interesting, and Infringement sometimes falls into repetition. Despite this, drummer Kristoffer Utby and bassist Emil Olsen stand out, bringing strong performances to the album. Sadly, the final mix hides much of Clason's guitar work, though he has added some interesting parts.

One issue with the album is the keyboard parts. Sometimes, Thorstensen's tone and vintage sound fit the music perfectly; at other times, the keyboards feel out of place or a bit cheesy. Thorstensen's role as the main harmony player seems to stretch him to his limits in these compositions. Vocalist Hans Andreas Brandal also struggles at times, as his voice sounds tired and occasionally off-key. Singing in English may not be his strength, which could be part of the problem.

Even with these issues, the album has its strong moments. It includes two main tracks: White Lies at 20 minutes and Black Science at 22 minutes. The band's style shifts between the influence of Magic Pie and Pendragon. White Lies, especially in part 4, is where the band sounds most united and energetic. Meanwhile, Black Science has a more atmospheric, neo-progressive style, with parts 4 and 5 delivering a satisfying climax.

After 44 minutes of listening, I enjoyed this album but wasn't blown away. The songs feel a bit too long, and shorter, more focused compositions could make the album more engaging. Overall, Black Science and White Lies is a good addition to the prog rock genre, though Infringement still has room to grow. With tighter songs and continued development, they could reach new heights.

Rough first week, huh? Well, hey, in these negative circumstances, how about I channel said negativity for a benefit, rather than a curse.

So, in terms of rock in opposition music, there are plenty of bands out there that are quite the enjoyable treat. From the jazzy Henry Cow, to the chamber infused Univers Zero, RIO has given us a lot of interesting bands and ideas to shape the avant-prog scene. One such band is Art Zoyd. They have a similar chamber style to that of Univers Zero, but I'd say they are considerably less rocking and more chamber when it comes to their musical stylings, which does quite make them a very unique band to listen to. Though, personally I will say that they're one of my more least desired bands to listen to. Whenever I get an itch, they do deliver somewhat, but some of their albums I just do not really like, at all. I do like some of their albums like Phase IV and Le mariage du ciel et de l'enfar, but other times they makes albums like Eyecatcher and Les champ des lames that just make me think?what? I am probably in the minority here, but I don't really get some of their stuff after Häxan. Heck, sometimes I don't get their stuff during what some may call their golden age during the 80s, as Nosferatu does fall in the camp of a pretty mediocre album for me.

Now, this album isn't a complete dud. I have something to praise for this album, namely four particularly tracks: L'agent Reinfeld, Le maître arrive, Rumeurs III, and Sleep No More. They're probably the best, and only real tracks I like here due to them feeling like they actually fully represent the whole of Nosferatu pretty well. A very avant-garde stillness that is both very haunting, as well as being quite enjoyable. They're not my favorite Art Zoyd tracks, but I feel like they hit a right mood for me sometimes. If anything Rumeurs III kinda makes me wish they made more Zeuhl-like music.

However, sad to say, but that is really the only enjoyment I have for this album, as the rest of it just feels like a confusing mess of ideas that just never work well for me. I feel as though they just don't really get Nosferatu as a concept, because the music that is meant to be scary just comes off as unnecessarily corny, or extremely dull.

Some of the more abrasive stuff makes me think they're trying to make weird clown music for no reason, especially with the keyboard tones that I am just not really a big fan of. It sometimes just feels like they're hyperbolically trying to be scary, and it just ends up being goofy. They're like making jumpscares in music form, and it just makes them look embarrassing.

The more quieter moments here are also bad to me but for the opposite reason. They try to be overly pretty or sinister, but they just never really land on that mark because they play too quietly for me too really notice and get a grasp on the music at hand. Like, on Anaphase I and II, both songs that just has no reason to be that quiet.

The worst part is that this could honestly work as a soundtrack in a way for the Nosferatu film, but only because it's a silent film, but even then the music is still either too abrasive or too quiet for me really, well, enjoy it. In fact, I bet it may make the movie worse off. Music can enhance any medium, whether it be books, movies, tv shows, etcetra, but sometimes the music just doesn't go well within a current situation and understanding, and I feel like Nosferatu by Art Zoyd is like that. Its mood music, but in a fashion that is far too within its own gimmicks that it ends up being one of the least favorable pieces of music from a band that I do think people should at least try out.

I don't like making negative reviews, but since I reviewed two other quite well known albums themed around Nosferatu, I figured to review this one as well. This is an Art Zoyd album I suggest you should skip, and if you want something that is both moody and can work far better as a soundtrack to a silent movie, their 1995 album of Faust is way better and more stylistically pleasing I'd say. Sad to say, but this album is quite disappointing.

Best tracks: L'agent Reinfeld, Le maître arrive, Rumeurs III, Sleep No More

Worst tracks: Anaphase, Anaphase II

A New Journey...

What an absolute rush it was to stumble upon this long-awaited follow-up to the Coral Caves band that the RPI team championed so many moons ago. The addition of the word "Project" to their name was an intentional change to signify that this time around, the core members were seeking to widen the pool of contributors and make large scale collaboration a tenet of the new album project they envisioned. This goal has been accomplished as Coral Caves Project notes nine additional musicians on top of the five main band members: Pietro Saviano, vocals, bass, flute; Massimiliano Vacca, drums; Dario Gallotta, guitar; Lucio Gallotta, lead guitar; and Salvadores Arcoleo, keys, piano.

In fact, when Andrea Parentin interviewed Pietro back in 2008---can it really be that long ago, Andrea?---Pietro said several things that seem to have now transpired in one way or another. Back then, if my memory serves, they were often described as melodic RPI with a heavy Pink Floyd influence. They wanted to move on from such labels and associations to be judged on their own merit. They wanted to not be held down to the expectation of progressive rock or any other label. He spoke of no restraints and no rules. A quote from that interview...

"For the moment we are promoting our debut album, but we have a great deal of new ideas that could find shape in a second one. We would like to release a more conceptual work without changing completely our style and taste, but with different 'musical colours' and a different atmosphere (thanks to some collaboration that we are thinking of). What really scares us is to become like one of those bands that are incapable to change and grow musically just because they have received some appreciations, and so they keep on composing always the same stuff."

From the git-go, the music of Journey to the End of the Light knocked me out. It just made me smile and brought me immediate joy. As someone who used to dabble a bit in RPI appreciation, it's a genre I hadn't really listened to in many years. And so while there was some excitement returning to the old flame of an RPI band I knew of long ago, I do maintain this album is the real deal and that Coral Caves Project has succeeded in the above-mentioned goals that Pietro laid out. The album is split into three sections. Part I has five tracks under the heading descriptor "Music and Words Inspired by L.F. Celine's 'Voyage au bout de la nuit' and 'Lettres à des amies.' " Part II is called "Lost and Found," and those two songs I believe are older compositions. Part III is titled "Echoes From Elsewhere," with one original and two very tastefully handled covers: Gabriel's "Here Comes the Flood" and Marillion's "Lavender." If you like those two songs, you'll want to hear these delightful arrangements.

I've not heard their debut album in many years, but this sounds quite different based on memory. While we still have a stable ground of classic, melodic RPI and the consistent talent of those members, the new material is fresh and invigorating, bouncing around, sampling other flavors in a more modern-tinged symphonic progressive with, occasionally, some Crossover/Neo vein perhaps. You will hear the enchanting flute and wistful solo piano that one expects with classic RPI, but compositions then go big and bold with convincing jamming, boisterous melodies, jazzy sections, and even some spoken word moments. The instrumental palette and talent of everyone is deep, and the production is top notch. While it is not fair to single out one aspect when everyone plays so beautifully, I have to give a nod to all of the guitar work here which really popped for me. But, again, everyone's effort here is exceptional. Naturally, the grouchy, pain-in-the-ass purist in me wishes they had not used English language vocals and, frankly, this can singlehandedly spoil the experience of RPI for me. But in this case, thankfully, it did not.

I easily recommend this album to fans of both classic RPI and modern Ital-prog and really any lovers of diverse rock music, though it likely will not satisfy diehards of hardcore, harsh-rock, or avant-garde experimental. But for me, the bottom line here is the ease with which they mine so much beautiful melody and the superb presentation of it. Last, special regards to Alessia Bennardo for beautiful cover art!

Excellent live album from early 1978, capturing full setlist Frankensteined together from the best performances of Zappa's string of shows at the Odeon. Sounds from these gigs were extensively harvested for Sheik Yerbouti, and you can tell why, because this incarnation of Zappa's lineup has rarely sounded better, with the likes of Bozzio, O'Hearn, and Belew all on excellent form. The broader selection of songs means that the cruel lyrical turn taken on Sheik Yerbouti is signifcantly softened, there's a fantastic 20 minute version of Pound For a Brown, we get some previews of material which would later coalesce on Joe's Garage, and even the extended take on I Have Been In You which dials up its evisceration of pop star narcissism to no end is grand.

Review Nº 834

As many of we know, Gentle Giant was formed in 1970 by the three multi-instrumentalists the Shulman brothers, Phil, Derek and Ray. They were joined by the guitarist Gary Green, the keyboardist Kerry Minnear and the drummer Martin Smith and formed Gentle Giant. During their short live, Gentle Giant only lasted ten years from 1970 to 1980, the line up of the band was very stable. It had only the departure of one of the Shulman brothers, Phil, in 1972, after the live tour to promote their fourth studio album 'Octopus' of 1972, and two changes of their drummers. Malcolm Mortimore replaced Martin Smith, in 1971, after the release of their second studio album 'Acquiring The Taste' in 1971 and John Weathers that replaced Malcolm Mortimore, in 1972, after the release of their third studio album 'Three Friends' in 1972.

'King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents' is one of the many Gentle Giant's live albums that was released in 1998. This live show was recorded at the Academy of Music in New York City, in 18 January 1975. It was performed one year after the release of their sixth studio album 'The Power And The Glory'. This concert captures Gentle Giant at the top of their form and at the peak of their fame. This is a short live album with about 45 minutes. The tracks are the same of their other live album called 'Experience', released in 2002. In reality, it features the same tracks but in a different order.

'King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents' has only seven tracks. The first track 'Proclamation' is a live version of a song released on their sixth studio album 'The Power And The Glory'. The second track 'Funny Ways' is a live version of a song released on their eponymous debut studio album 'Gentle Giant'. The third track 'The Runaway' is a live version of a song released on their fifth studio album 'In A Glass House'. The fourth track 'Experience' is also a live version of a song released on their fifth studio album 'In A Glass House'. The fifth track 'So Sincere' is also a live version of a song released on their sixth studio album 'The Power And The Glory'. The sixth track 'Knots' is a live version of a song released on their fourth studio album 'Octopus'. The seventh and last track 'The Advent Of Panurge' is also a live version of a song released on their fourth studio album 'Octopus'.

King Biscuit Flower Hour was an USA radio show that regularly presented especially organized concerts for over two decades. This release shows Gentle Giant at their best and in the peak of their fame. At the time there were signs that hard work, ambition and musical wilfulness would finally bring the band relatively wide recognition. Gentle Giant came to New York with the successful and musically successful album 'The Power And The Glory' in the band's luggage. Incidentally, the previous album 'In A Glass House' was only available as an import in the USA, since the record bosses considered it quite unsalable. Despite this commercially farsighted behaviour, 'In A Glass House' sold 150,000 copies over there at the time. The great highlights of this live concert would include the vibraphone solo on their track 'Funny Ways', the keyboard transition between the tracks 'The Runaway' and 'Experience', the drums/chime parts of the track 'So Sincere', and the acoustic guitar duo on the track 'Knots'. So, we can say that 'King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents' contains concert highlights that are very well known to all Gentle Giant's fans, were here again they are of the first class performed with the addition of some instrumental passages made for their live performances. Added to this, we need also to highlight the virtuoso mastery of the all instruments played by all band's members, the contagious and unique joy of playing of all performers of Gentle Giant and finally, the excellent compositional talent of the all band.

Conclusion: As I mentioned before, 'King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents' is a live album with the same live tracks of 'Experience', but with a new different musical alignment. The 'King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents' is, without any doubt, a great live album with a beautiful live atmosphere. For me, is totally irrelevant the different musical alignment, because I sincerely like of the alignments on both live albums. However, despite the quality of this live show, I still prefer the live show on 'Playing The Fool'. In relation to the selection of the tracks, I can only say that it's absolutely irreproachable. However, not all of their first six studio albums were represented on it. It hasn't songs of their second studio album 'Acquiring The Taste' and hasn't songs of their third studio album 'Three Friends'. So, it has one song from their eponymous debut studio album 'Gentle Giant', 'Funny Ways', two songs from their fourth studio album 'Octopus', 'Knots' and 'The Advent Of Panurge', also two songs from their fifth studio album 'In A Glass House', 'Experience' and 'The Runway' and it has also two songs from their sixth studio album 'The Power And The Glory', 'Proclamation' and 'So Sincere'. So, as a conclusion, despite I prefer 'Playing The Fool', 'King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents' and 'Experience' are two excellent live albums of Gentle Giant. So, to buy one of them is, without any doubt, a great option because we are in presence of some different and but also excellent live material from a great live band.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

ODDLEAF group founded in 2020 coming out of nowhere, sounds on YES, GENESIS, KING CRIMSON, CAMEL or even RENAISSANCE for the older ones, WOBBLER and MOSTLY AUTUMN for the younger ones.

"The Eternal Tree" latent piano-synth-mellotron intro, solemn, atmospheric rise, it announces heavy; a bit of medieval like in the old days when the intro brought you to the musical space, a flute in the distance. To make you shiver and stop your ear on it for cinematic prog blood bringing "Life" with the organ and the invasive vocal, a bit of AMBEON for your information, suave childish voice for a creamy harmony. Adeline juggles between softness and energy, slipping on the fat, velvety organ, the one from the time when we took our time, on that of Francis DECAMPS from the 70s, on the famous Charly OLEG who will show that the Hammond can be played on TV at prime time. The keyboard variation starts with an enchanting amalgam of musical colors, the flute worthy of an elven episode of the Lord of the Rings tempering the climate and bringing it with this warbling to a classical space. Everything is well fitted together to go from tender to emotion, from energy to sensuality, but this keyboard makes you think about this first opus of a group that came from nowhere. "Ethereal Melodies" follows, flute, melody of yesteryear, the neo-classical-medieval air making itself felt; Adeline makes the air vibrate, the keyboard always bucolic and vintage, the rise on an exhilarating folk trend with symphonic touches. A forward voice that dares to sing clearly in English launching a really well-made guitar solo by Olivier, high, fruity, airy, progressive; in short for the moment it's heavy.

"Back in Time" attacks the longest title, posed, an atmospheric-medieval variation on the bewitching voice of the CORRS, the tullian flute and the analog organ for the moment regression. AGUSA is the group that comes to mind; uptempo piano break to set the fire, but it doesn't take there, it's too soft, too folk, too predictable. The medieval air fortunately takes over, the synths look at those of the MINIMUM VITAL; the fairy flute with this shared feeling of the long title and the final rise of Carina's keyboards. The flute of JETHRO TULL refers to the progressive, vintage and logical madness with a last intoxicating funky solo. Note the voice-over of Dan CURTIS, in short a little flute good, too much flute kills the flute. "Prelude" as its name indicates, laughing seagulls, wavelets and magic keyboard, very beautiful shivering atmosphere leading to "Coexistence - Part I" for the slap; at the beginning it smells of jazz, but really a trait, then we embark on a progressive symphony where the Hammond reminds me of the one played by ANIMA MUNDI, on their 'Insomnia', in short 4 grandiloquent minutes. The flute break takes up the soporific side, the piano drives the point home, the sax synth with KING CRIMSON sauce sweeps this feeling away with a musical reverse, the organ worthy of a GENESIS from the 80s then worthy of an ODDLEAF with a technician decked out in the person of Carina. The final rise between the synth flights and the borderline heavy soft guitar that amplifies the modern sound of this final piece with the enjoyable megaptère cinematic. "Ethereal Melodies (Clip Edit)" as an almost useless bonus except to add that the guitar solo made me think for a moment of that of the EAGLES on their planetary hit, a sign?

ODDLEAF group that dares to offer prog rock from the 70s revisited in the 2020 decade. Originally on Profilprog.

In a scenario in which the enormous upheavals of the punk explosion, with its raw chords and thematic contestation, challenged rock and its more elaborate variants, Eloy, after the conceptual "Dawn" and far from being swept away by the new trends, returned to release an even more ambitious conceptual work, "Ocean" (1977), the sixth album in their discography. Based on an adaptation of the mythological story of Atlantis, the lost and submerged continent somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, "Ocean" builds its musical proposal on the basis of spatial atmospheres of enormous amplitude combined with recognisable progressive sonorities.

Frank Bornemann's guitar arpeggios and the forceful rhythmic base built by Klaus-Peter Matziol's bass, Jurgen Rosenthal's relentless hi-hat and Detlev Schmidtchen's hammond and hazy synthesizers intertwine with the tales of the mystical rise of the enigmatic continent created by Poseidon and inspired by his beloved muse Kleito, give shape to the very progressive 'Poseidon's Creation', the opening track of the four that make up "Ocean", and one of the band's most identifiable.

And both the haunting and volatile "Incarnation of the Logos" with Bornemann's reverberated singing and the energetic "Decay of the Logos" with Matziol's rough and murky bass and Rosenthal's obstinate hi-hat, describe the rise and fall of Atlantis, always with Schmidtchen's synthesizers as a permanent common thread, just as relevant in the extensive astral introduction of the concluding "Atlantis' Agony at June 5th - 8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime", a gloomy half-time with clear Floydian reminiscences that portrays the sinking of the island punished by the gods with a devastating earthquake in "a terrible day and night", and marks the end of the album.

"Ocean" is one of Eloy's best works, if not the best, and one of the furthest in the quest to expand the cosmic reaches of progressive frontiers. A space rock jewel that would have deserved a greater transcendence and more recognition in the general consideration than it got.

4/4.5 stars

The great 60's quintet released their second brilliant album. On the surface, it's still an acoustic jazz rooted in post- bop but each member steps out of their comfort zone to create a then futuristic jazz album. "Orbits" has a conventional rhythm section with Miles and Shorter providing capturing solos but it is Hancock who blows me away by his choice of solo notes. "Circle" is a slow but I feel a positive tension in the music in the chord structure. "Footprints" is one of this quintet flagship pieces with its free flow and Afro-fusion (sounds to me) rhythmic inspiration. Williams is doing a great job with many inspiring alterations and Shorter shows why he was the most important composer of the quintet. "Dolores" is a jazz-attack upbeat number. Hancock and Williams, in particular shine through. "Freedom jazz dance" has an inventive foot jazz drumming (busy too) with Miles providing lyrical solo and dueling with Shorter. If you considered the music content to be too non-conventional, then you return to the traditional post-bop structure on the last track, "Gingerbread boy". Excellent album by excellent musicians and players. Intelligent and label-defying piece of jazz.

4.5 stars. John Zorn knows how to celebrate a birthday! For his 50th, in 2003, Zorn spent the month of September in New York City hanging out with a lot of musicians. And by hanging out, I mean playing live music together. There are twelve of these such live releases, celebrating John's 50th, or 12 volumes if you will, with the uniform cover art. This is some powerful music right here folks. I do prefer "At The Mountains Of Madness" that was released a year after this one, and it features most of the music on here, but better in my opinion. The closer which is my least favourite song on here isn't included on "At The Mountains Of Madness". A 5 star release I hope to review in a month or so.

ELECTRIC MASADA are an eight piece here, with two drummers and a percussionist. Add an electronic guru, guitar, sax, bass and keyboards. Six of these guys are in a band called THE DREAMING, with several also in BAR KOKHBA. Dunn the bass player is from MR. BUNGLE, SECRET CHIEFS 3 and more. So much talent on display here, and the way they seem to jam and improv reminds me of Miles Davis and his all-star lineups. The music here though is avant, free jazz, klezmer and metal. That last track is too laid back in my opinion to be the closer, it's still a good one with the guitar and sax leading the way, but it pales when compared to the other six tracks.

This is a long one at over 72 minutes. But those first two tracks kill. We have the 14 1/2 minute opener where the electric piano leads around 6 minutes in, my favourite section. But again the sax and guitar are great. The second track is more about the guitar early on but the sax is all over this too. The least melodic song would be "Hath-Arob" but it's also the shortest. Love the atmosphere and mellow sections on "Yatzar". Lots of intricate sounds, a headphone track for sure.

Zorn at times sounds like Pharoah Sanders, the way he wails. And I'm surprised at how upfront the guitar is. Such an amazing album though that can be quite trippy, but there's a lot of power on display here as well.

I need to direct you to the fabulous (and only) review by tszirmay. I had not heard of this band at all and there has been no mention of them on the forum that I am aware of. What you get here is 2 different twenty minute + pieces of music. The first track is called Black Science and has a 'post rock' flavour. The second is White Lies and brings us back to a more traditional neo prog approach. For me this is exactly what I want from my modern progressive rock music and it's from Norway (of course!). 5 stars.